To realize her career aspirations of becoming a nurse educator, Jennie Zakrzewski knew she needed to finish her degree. However, like many adult learners, she was unsure which educational pathway would work best for her life.

“I wanted to further myself, become more than what I was,” says Zakrzwski, a school nurse and mother of six – including two currently serving in the US Army. “But I was turned off by past experiences at traditional schools.”

Research led the Skylerville, New York native to Excelsior, a private, nonprofit, distance learning institution and the largest educator of nurses in the country. In 2013, she enrolled in the College’s Associate of Science in nursing program.

“I had done online courses before and found them easier to work around my schedule,” said Zakrzewski. “I have six grandkids. With Excelsior, I can go in-between diaper changes to work on my course or finish a reading. I’ve even taken a kid to lacrosse practice and worked on assignments from the field.”

While the coursework has been challenging at times, Zakrzewski credits her family for supporting her along the way and the Partners in Lifelong Learning scholarship for helping to lessen the financial burden.

“My husband and children took over many of the household tasks to give me time to work on my coursework,” she says.

Of course the pursuit of higher education requires a certain level of self-motivation, especially when life throws you a curveball.

“I actually had brain surgery in December, which presents an enormous challenge not only scholastically but personally. (But) I’ve worked hard to recuperate while maintaining my grades. You have to be motivated.”

Once she completes her degree, Zakrzewski has her sights set on continuing her educational journey and enrolling in Excelsior’s graduate program in nursing.

“My associate’s (degree) will let me find full-time work,” she says. “With a master’s degree, I can become an educator.”

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Meet the Dean, Mary-Lee Pollard

Dr. Mary Lee Pollard is the dean of the School of Nursing at Excelsior College. In this role, she assures that a high quality, affordable and accessible education is provided annually to approximately 21,000 undergraduate and graduate nursing students nationwide. Under her direction, Excelsior’s School of Nursing graduates an average of 1,900 students per year, advancing healthcare throughout the U.S. Dr. Pollard is an expert in competency-based nursing education, and in recognition of her skillful program management has served as a panelist in forums hosted by the Center for American Progress and the Council on Adult and Experiential Learning, and has provided presentations on the topic at national conferences.
Dr. Pollard came to lead this nontraditional program through a more traditional career path, earning a BS in nursing from Syracuse University and accepting a position as a staff nurse in New York’s Capital Region which remains her home today. She pursued graduate education in Medical Surgical Nursing with a concentration in Nursing Education at Russell Sage College in Troy while continuing to work full-time in a variety of medical surgical positions at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady. She began her career in nursing education at the Ellis Hospital School of Nursing and became the school’s Director in 1999 at which time she began an evening and weekend program, earned initial NLNAC accreditation, and relocated the school to a larger, more modern facility. During this time she earned a doctoral degree in Educational Theory and Practice: Curriculum Development, Instruction and Evaluation and also assumed her first position with Excelsior, serving as a Clinical Examiner for the Clinical Performance in Nursing Examination, a multi-day capstone examination conducted in a hospital setting.
Advancing a diverse population of nurses along a career ladder is a priority for Dr. Pollard. She is a member of the New York State Associate Degree Council of Nurse Educators, the New York State Council of Deans of Baccalaureate and Higher Programs, the National Organization for Associate Degree Nursing, the National League for Nursing, the National Association of Hispanic Nurses, and serves on the board of the Tau Kappa Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau. She is a past board member of the New York State Nurses Association District 9 and the New York State Associate Degree Council of Nurse Educators, and also served on the steering committee for the Helene Fuld Health Trust initiative for the New York State Coalition for Nursing Educational Mobility to develop a statewide LPN to RN articulation model.
A strong believer in utilizing research to inform both nursing education and practice, she is a board member of the Capital District Nursing Research Alliance. She recently served as the primary investigator for a study titled, Assessment of Quality and Safety Education in Nursing: A New York State Perspective. Her areas of expertise are nontraditional nursing student attrition, competency assessment, and adult education.
Dr. Pollard also serves her community as a Board member and volunteer nurse at the Schenectady Free Clinic, ensuring care and access to medication for over 10,000 uninsured county residents.

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It is our goal to provide an overview of Excelsior College and the many ways that you can transfer in credits, or earn credits as a student. We will also highlight the benefits we have to offer and the individual schools and degree programs that we have available.

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In honor of International Women’s Day, the School of Business & Technology is proud to sponsor our next speaker series event: Women in Technology and Management

The first International Women’s Day was celebrated in 1908, when approximately 15,000 women marched in New York City demanding equal rights. Since then, the U.S. celebrates International Women’s Day every March 8, acknowledging various themes. The theme for 2018 is “#PressforProgress.”

This year, the School of Business & Technology honors International Women’s Day by facilitating the panel presentation: “Women in Technology and Management.” Women from Excelsior College and other organizations will discuss their own experiences in these disciplines and offer recommendations for encouraging the next generation of girls and women to pursue technology and management fields. ... See MoreSee Less

Speaker Series: Women in Technology and Management

March 8, 2018, 12:00pm - March 8, 2018, 1:00pm

In honor of International Women’s Day, the School of Business & Technology is proud to sponsor our next speaker series event: Women in Technology and Management
The first International Women’s Day was celebrated in 1908, when approximately 15,000 women marched in New York City demanding equal rights. Since then, the U.S. celebrates International Women’s Day every March 8, acknowledging various themes. The theme for 2018 is “#PressforProgress.”
This year, the School of Business & Technology honors International Women’s Day by facilitating the panel presentation: “Women in Technology and Management.” Women from Excelsior College and other organizations will discuss their own experiences in these disciplines and offer recommendations for encouraging the next generation of girls and women to pursue technology and management fields.